Author Archive

Greg Grant

News And Analysis

The Softer Side of War

The Pentagon turns to academia to foster cultural awareness on the front lines.

Defense

Commander finds no evidence of Iranian training or weapons in Afghanistan

Reports from the field contradict Bush administration claims of Taliban support across the border.

Defense

Army officers warn of atrophy in critical skills

Internal report says service could face exodus of artillery officers.

Defense

Marines’ V-22 Osprey returns from first combat deployment

Tilt-rotor aircraft successfully used in more than 2,500 missions.

Features

Hybrid Wars

What if the battles of the future are neither conventional nor irregular, but a combination of both?

Defense

Navy forms fleet to serve Western Hemisphere

Ships, aircraft and submarines will dispense humanitarian relief quickly to the Caribbean and Central and South Americas.

Defense

Reconstruction teams hindered by lack of resources, skills

House committee is “amazed” that groups’ missions in Iraq, Afghanistan are not more defined.

Defense

Anthropologists lend military insight into customs, values of foreign cultures

The Pentagon plans to spend $150 million this year on social science research to better understand tribal cultures and social networks in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Defense

Gates tells military services to prepare for unconventional wars

Officers must “tell blunt truths” to civilian leaders, Defense secretary advises cadets at West Point.

Defense

GAO: Administration lacks plan to combat terrorists in Pakistan

The federal government has failed to properly monitor billions of taxpayer dollars sent to the Pakistani government to combat al Qaeda.

Defense

Cost estimates for Army equipment repair, upgrades go up by billions

GAO projects total expenditures of at least $190 billion from 2004 to 2013.

Defense

Defense corporations urge increase in weapons investment

A bigger budget is needed to maintain the U.S. military’s technological edge, industry report says.

Defense

Army urged to develop process to wage war in cyberspace

Director of electronic warfare calls for a more proactive program to combat enemy information campaigns.

Defense

Military analysts predict prolonged U.S. presence in Iraq

American military’s challenge will be the transition from warfighting to peacekeeping and building government in Iraq.

Defense

Panel concludes Reserves need greater job flexibility, career choices

Pentagon’s personnel policies do not account for new realities as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

News And Analysis

Getting Tanked

With a price tag of $160 billion, the Army’s Future Combat Systems might be one tank too many.

Defense

Shortage of helicopters hampers troops in Afghanistan, observers say

Some call for more Chinooks to move troops and equipment in mountainous regions.

Defense

Navy must start asking Congress for more money, says analyst

The service has been mum on extra funding needs for shipbuilding; inaccurate cost estimates are undermining credibility with lawmakers.

Defense

GAO: Military should consider breaking up FCS

Army should shift to incremental development based on proven technologies to salvage program, report says.

Defense

Rising Joint Strike Fighter costs could put pressure on Defense budget

Overall cost of construction and operation is approaching $1 trillion, GAO says.